the neighborhood

Yesterday was the first day that truly felt like winter was over. Unlike the last time the temperature got close to 70, yesterday had the leaves on the trees, and a different warmth to the sun. Knowing I had to get the rest of my flowers planted before the kitchen project takes over my life, I spent a good portion of it outside.

As I was heading out, my dear friend Kari stopped by with a little thank you gift. What a nice surprise! At the same time, another dear friend who runs a day care, Tracy Lane, was walking by with her charges, and her son Alec, who was home after suffering a broken nose (OW!) from a wayward baseball pitch. So we had a good little chat, to find out the specifics. Later, as I was still in the yard, another friend who lives in the neighborhood, Doug, stopped by on his way home from the grocery store.

Then it was time to take the bike out, and make a quick trip up to our neighborhood grocery store, Kortes, where I chatted with the clerk, who knows me, as I am there all the time. After packing away the goodies (pork tenderloin is on sale for 3.99 a pound! get some!) I walked to the bus stop to wait for Charlie, where I chatted with Doug again, and neighbor Niki.

After that, Charlie and I went to visit Alec, and deliver him a malt (because Dairy Queen definitely has some medicinal value when it comes to broken bones), and I stayed to visit with Tracy, as she doesn't get much adult contact in her days of day care. Before you know it, Doug and his boys had stopped with something for Alec, Tracy's husband Mike had arrived home, the day care kids had gone, and it was time to celebrate this very nice day. So we gathered up snacks and my hubby, beer and wine, and sat in the sunshine enjoying each other's company. Very impromptu, and completely unplanned, the best kind of get-togethers. Thank you Mike and Tracy!

And that is what living in a neighborhood is all about, and why I think that we probably won't be making that move to the suburbs anytime soon. At least until Charlie leaves us...